The Winnipeg Jets on Thursday released a statement regarding the possibility of a work stoppage if an agreement between HHL players and the NHL Players Association cannot be reached this season.
Jim Ludlow, president and CEO of True North Sports and Entertainment Limited, and Norva Riddell, senior vice-president of sales and marketing, sent the following statement to all Jets’ stakeholders, including season ticket holders, premium suite holders, corporate partners, and wait list members:
“As you may be aware from recent reports in the media, the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association are currently engaged in the process of negotiating a successor Collective Bargaining Agreement to their current Agreement, which expires Saturday, September 15th, 2012. Although it is the League’s objective to successfully conclude negotiations for the new Agreement by September 15th, it is possible this may not occur.
In the event a new Agreement is not reached in this timeframe, and a work stoppage ensues, the Winnipeg Jets’ training camp could be postponed, and there is the potential for preseason and regular season games to be cancelled. The purpose of this letter is therefore threefold: (1) to ensure you are aware of the possibility of this occurring, (2) to advise you that we have developed contingency plans including policies and procedures in the event of game cancellations and, (3) to advise you that we will communicate these contingency plans to you immediately upon being advised by the League that a work stoppage has formally commenced.
It remains our hope, as well as that of the League and all those involved, that agreement on the terms of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement will be reached in short order…”
